Prevalence and burden of asthma among US working adults by industry and occupation-United States, 2020-2021.

OBJECTIVES: Assess the prevalence of current asthma, asthma attacks/episodes, and asthma-related emergency room (ER) visits by industry and occupation and estimate the proportion of current asthma cases associated with employment during 2020-2021. METHODS: The 2020-2021 National Health Interview Survey data for persons aged ≥18 years who were employed at any time during the 12 months prior to the interview were analyzed. RESULTS: An estimated 12.7 million US working adults had current asthma. Of those, 40% had an asthma attack/episode and 8.6% had an asthma-related ER visit. Prevalence varied by sociodemographic characteristics, industry, and occupation. Highest asthma prevalence was among workers in the administrative, support, waste management, and remediation industry and the community and social services occupation. Nearly half of workers with current asthma in the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry and arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations reported having an asthma attack/episode. Workers in the accommodations and food services industry and food preparation and serving related occupation had the highest asthma-related ER visits. The proportion of current asthma cases attributable to employment was estimated to be 9.2% by industry and 12.2% by occupation. CONCLUSION: An estimated 1.2-1.5 million asthma cases among workers might be attributable to employment by industry and occupation. Disparities in asthma prevalence, asthma attacks/episodes and asthma-related ER visits among workers exist. These findings underscore the importance of early identification of asthma cases in relation to work and implementation of targeted interventions (including, training and education, personal protective equipment use, health surveillance, workplace policies), especially among workers employed in industries and occupations with elevated asthma prevalence.

Work-related asthma prevalence among US employed adults.

BACKGROUND: Work-related asthma (WRA), a preventable occupational disease, can result in adverse health outcomes and employment disability, including decreased productivity, lost workdays, and job loss. Early identification of WRA cases and avoidance of further exposures is crucial for optimal management. OBJECTIVE: We estimate WRA prevalence among US workers by selected sociodemographic characteristics, industry, and occupation groups and assess the differences in adverse health outcomes, preventive care, and lost workdays between persons with WRA and those with non-WRA. METHODS: The 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for working adults aged ≥18 years employed in the 12 months before the survey were analyzed. Prevalence, and adjusted prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the estimated 170 million US adults working in the past year, 13.0 million (7.6%) had asthma. Among workers with asthma, an estimated 896,000 (6.9%) had WRA. WRA prevalence was highest among males, workers aged ≥55 years, those with no health insurance, those living in the Midwest, and those employed in the accommodation, food, and other services industry, and in production, installation, transportation, and material moving occupations. Workers with WRA were significantly more likely to use preventive medication and rescue inhalers, and to experience adverse health outcomes and lost workdays than workers with non-WRA. CONCLUSION: Early identification of WRA cases, assessment of workplace exposures, and implementation of targeted interventions that consider the hierarchy of controls are critical to preventing future WRA cases and associated adverse health consequences.

Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma-COPD overlap among US working adults.

BACKGROUND: Asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) is a respiratory condition with more severe respiratory symptoms, poorer quality of life, and increased hospital admissions compared with asthma or COPD alone. OBJECTIVES: Estimate asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and ACO prevalence among workers by industry and occupation and assess physical and mental health status, healthcare utilization, among workers with ACO. METHODS: The 2014-2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for working adults aged ≥18 years employed (sample n = 99,424) in the 12 months prior to the survey were analyzed. Age-adjusted ACO, COPD and asthma prevalence and prevalence ratios adjusted for age, sex, race and smoking status were estimated. RESULTS: During 2014-2018, of the estimated 166 million (annual average) US workers, age-adjusted asthma, COPD, and ACO prevalence was 6.9%, 4.0%, and 1.1%, respectively. ACO prevalence was highest among workers aged ≥65 years (2.0%), females (1.6%), current smokers (1.9%), those living below the federal poverty level (2.3%), and workers in the accommodation and food services (1.6%) industry and personal care and service (2.3%) occupations. Workers with ACO had more frequent (p < 0.05) physician office visits, emergency department visits; and were more likely to be in poorer mental health, obese, have more lost workdays, more bed days, and comorbidities compared to workers with asthma alone and workers with COPD alone.Conclusion: Higher ACO prevalence among worker groups and increased healthcare utilization underscores the need for early identification of asthma and COPD, assessment of potential workplace exposures, and implementation of tailored interventions to reduce ACO among working adults.

Malignant mesothelioma among US Medicare beneficiaries: incidence, prevalence and therapy, 2016-2019.

OBJECTIVES: Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos fibres. Mesothelioma patients who receive trimodal therapy (chemotherapy, surgical resection and radiation) survive longer than those who receive two or fewer therapy modalities. This study analyses the 2016-2019 Medicare claims data to estimate the burden of malignant mesothelioma and describe therapy patterns (when available) among continuously enrolled fee-for-service (FFS; Medicare parts A and B) beneficiaries. METHODS: We analysed claims and enrolment information from 42 529 117 FFS Medicare beneficiaries using three mesothelioma case definitions (broad, intermediate and narrow) with varying levels of diagnostic requirements. Results are presented as ranges of values for the three definitions. RESULTS: Among FFS beneficiaries, 8213-19 036 beneficiaries with mesothelioma were identified depending on the case definition. The annual prevalence per 100 000 beneficiaries ranged from 8.8 in 2016 (narrow) to 31.3 in 2019 (broad) and annual incidence per 100 000 beneficiaries ranged from 4.5 in 2019 (narrow) to 12.6 in 2017 (broad). Depending on the mesothelioma case definition, 41.8%-81.5% had available therapy claim information indicating that 7.6%-11.3% received chemotherapy alone, 1.3%-1.5% received radiation alone, and 14.3%-27.0% underwent surgery only, with 4.6%-10.5% receiving all three therapy modalities. CONCLUSIONS: Mesothelioma was a prevalent disease among FFS Medicare beneficiaries during 2016-2019, and a limited proportion of beneficiaries received all three therapy modalities. Medicare data build on findings from cancer registry data to enhance our understanding of the mesothelioma burden and therapy patterns.

Industry, occupation, and exposure history of mesothelioma patients in the U.S. National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank, 2006-2022.

BACKGROUND: Malignant mesothelioma is associated with environmental and occupational exposure to certain mineral fibers, especially asbestos. This study aims to examine work histories of mesothelioma patients and their survival time. METHOD: Using the NIOSH Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System, we mapped occupations and industries recorded for 748 of 1444 patients in the U.S. National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank (NMVB) during the period 2006-2022. Descriptive and survival analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Among the 1023 industries recorded for those having mesothelioma, the most frequent cases were found for those in manufacturing (n = 225, 22.0%), construction (138, 13.5%), and education services (66, 6.5%); among the 924 occupation records, the most frequent cases were found for those in construction and extraction (174, 18.8%), production (145, 15.7%), and management (84, 9.1%). Males (583) or persons aged >40 years (658) at the time of diagnosis tended to have worked in industries traditionally associated with mesothelioma (e.g., construction), while females (163) or persons aged 20-40 years (27) tended to have worked in industries not traditionally associated with mesothelioma (e.g., health care). Asbestos, unknown substances, and chemical solvents were the most frequently reported exposure, with females most often reporting an unknown substance. A multi-variable Cox Hazard Regression analysis showed that significant prognostic factors associated with decreased survival in mesothelioma cases are sex (male) and work experience in utility-related industry, while factor associated with increased survival are epithelial or epithelioid histological type, prior history of surgery and immunotherapy, and industry experience in accommodation and food services. CONCLUSION: The NMVB has the potential of serving as a sentinel surveillance mechanism for identifying industries and occupations not traditionally associated with mesothelioma. Results indicate the importance of considering all potential sources of asbestos exposures including occupational, environmental, and extra-occupational exposures when evaluating mesothelioma patients and advising family members.

Pneumoconiosis incidence and prevalence among US Medicare beneficiaries, 1999-2019.

BACKGROUND: Pneumoconiosis is a group of occupational lung diseases caused by dust and fiber exposure. This study analyzes Medicare claims to estimate the burden of pneumoconiosis among fee-for-service (FFS; Medicare Parts A and B) Medicare beneficiaries during 1999-2019 in the United States. METHODS: Claim and enrollment information from 81 million continuously enrolled FFS Medicare beneficiaries were analyzed. Beneficiaries with any pneumoconiosis and cause-specific pneumoconiosis (e.g., asbestosis, silicosis) were identified using three case definitions (broad, intermediate, and narrow) with varying diagnostic criteria based on claim International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM) diagnosis codes and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes. Results are presented as ranges of values for the three case definitions. RESULTS: The 21-year prevalence range for any pneumoconiosis was 345,383-677,361 (412-833 per 100,000 beneficiaries) using the three case definitions. The highest prevalence was among those ≥75 years of age, males, Whites, and North American Natives. Most claims (70.0%-72.5%) included an ICD-CM diagnosis code for asbestosis. The broad pneumoconiosis prevalence rate increased significantly (p < 0.001) during 2002-2009 by 3%-10% annually and declined significantly by 3%-5% annually starting in 2009. The average annual broad incidence rate declined significantly by 7% annually during 2009-2019. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the decline in rate for any pneumoconiosis among Medicare beneficiaries, which is primarily attributed to a decline in asbestosis, pneumoconiosis is prevalent among FFS Medicare beneficiaries.

Malignant Mesothelioma Mortality in Women - United States, 1999-2020.

Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause malignant mesothelioma, a rapidly progressing and lethal cancer of the mesothelium, the thin layer of tissues surrounding internal organs in the chest and abdomen. Patients with malignant mesothelioma have a poor prognosis, with a median survival of 1 year from diagnosis. The estimated median interval from initial occupational asbestos exposure to death is 32 years (range = 13-70 years) (1). Occupational asbestos exposure is most often reported in men working in industries such as construction and manufacturing; however, women are also at risk for exposure to asbestos fibers, and limited data exist on longer-term trends in mesothelioma deaths among women. To characterize deaths associated with mesothelioma and temporal trends in mesothelioma mortality among women in the United States, CDC analyzed annual Multiple Cause of Death records from the National Vital Statistics System for 1999-2020, the most recent years for which complete data are available. The annual number of mesothelioma deaths among women increased significantly, from 489 in 1999 to 614 in 2020; however, the age-adjusted death rate per 1 million women declined significantly, from 4.83 in 1999 to 4.15 in 2020. The largest number of deaths was associated with the health care and social assistance industry (89; 15.7%) and homemaker occupation (129; 22.8%). Efforts to limit exposure to asbestos fibers, including among women, need to be maintained.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Mortality by Industry and Occupation - United States, 2020.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung disease, is characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation (1). COPD accounts for most of the deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States in 2020.* Workplace exposures and tobacco smoking are risk factors for COPD; however, one in four workers with COPD have never smoked (2-4). To describe COPD mortality among U.S. residents aged ≥15 years categorized as ever-employed (i.e., with information on their usual industry and occupation), CDC analyzed the most recent 2020 multiple cause-of-death data† from 46 states and New York City.§ Among 3,077,127 decedents, 316,023 (10.3%) had COPD¶ listed on the death certificate. The highest age-adjusted** COPD death rates per 100,000 ever-employed persons were for females (101.3), White persons (116.9), and non-Hispanic or Latino (non-Hispanic) persons (115.8). The highest proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs)†† were for workers employed in the mining industry (1.3) and in food preparation and serving related occupations (1.3). Elevated COPD mortality among workers in certain industries and occupations underscores the importance of targeted interventions (e.g., reduction or elimination of COPD-associated risk factors, engineering controls, and workplace smoke-free policies) to prevent COPD from developing and to intervene before illness becomes symptomatic or severe.

Respiratory health of American Indian and Alaska Native coal miners participating in the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program, 2014-2019.

BACKGROUND: In 2014, a federal rule reduced occupational exposure limits to coal mine dust and expanded medical surveillance eligibility beyond underground miners to surface and contract coal miners. This expansion may have provided an opportunity for more American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) coal miners to participate in screening, since many surface coal mines are located near AI/AN communities and may employ AI/AN miners. Therefore we sought to better understand the respiratory health of AI/AN coal miners by characterizing prevalence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), and abnormal lung function in this population. METHODS: Descriptive analysis of 1405 chest radiographs and 627 spirometry test results for AI/AN miners who participated in the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP) during 2014-2019 was conducted. RESULTS: Most AI/AN miners (0-25+ years of tenure) were western United States residents (82.3%) and active surface miners (76.9%) with no underground tenure. Among miners with at least 10 years of tenure, prevalence of CWP was 3.0%, and of PMF was 0.3%. Lung function abnormalities were seen in 9.0% with primarily restrictive patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CWP, PMF, and lung function abnormality among active and former AI/AN coal miners was higher than seen in a larger CWHSP study of active western miners working primarily underground with 10+ years of tenure. Interventions that eliminate or control coal mine dust exposure, identify miners with CWP early, and limit respiratory disease progression and complications remain vital for eliminating the preventable adverse health effects of coal mining. Comprehensive demographic data on the coal mining workforce are needed to improve CWHSP participation assessment.

Medical claims paid by workers' compensation insurance among US Medicare beneficiaries, 1999-2016.

BACKGROUND: Workers' compensation claims among Medicare beneficiaries have not been described previously. To examine the healthcare burden of work-related injury and illness among Medicare beneficiaries, we assessed the characteristics, healthcare utilization, and financial costs among Medicare beneficiaries with claims for which workers' compensation was the primary payer. METHODS: We extracted final action fee-for-service Medicare claims from 1999 to 2016 where workers' compensation had primary responsibility for claim payment and beneficiary, claim type, diagnoses, and cost information from these claims. RESULTS: During 1999-2016, workers' compensation was the primary payer for 2,010,200 claims among 330,491 Medicare beneficiaries, and 58.7% of these beneficiaries had more than one claim. Carrier claims submitted by noninstitutional providers constituted the majority (94.5%) of claims. Diagnosis codes indicated 19.4% of claims were related to diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue and 12.9% were related to disease of the circulatory system. Workers' compensation insurance paid $880.4 million for these claims while Medicare paid $269.7 million and beneficiaries paid $37.4 million. CONCLUSIONS: Workers' compensation paid 74% of the total amount to providers for these work-related medical claims among Medicare beneficiaries. Claim diagnoses were similar to those of all workers' compensation claims in the United States. Describing these work-related claims helps identify the healthcare burden due to occupational injury and illness among Medicare beneficiaries resulting from employment and identifies a need for more comprehensive collection and surveillance of work-related medical claims.

Trends in Pneumoconiosis Deaths - United States, 1999-2018.

Pneumoconioses are preventable occupational lung diseases caused by inhaling dust particles such as coal dust or different types of mineral dusts (1). To assess recent trends in deaths associated with pneumoconiosis, CDC analyzed multiple cause-of-death data*,† for decedents aged ≥15 years for the years 1999-2018, and industry and occupation data collected from 26 states§ for the years 1999, 2003, 2004, and 2007-2013. During 1999-2018, pneumoconiosis deaths decreased by 40.4%, with the exception of pneumoconiosis attributed to other inorganic dusts (e.g., aluminum, bauxite, beryllium, iron, and tin oxide), which increased significantly (p-value for time trend <0.05). The largest observed decreases in pneumoconiosis deaths were for those associated with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (69.6%) and silicosis (53.0%). Asbestosis was the most frequently reported pneumoconiosis and was associated with working in the construction industry. The ongoing occurrence of deaths associated with pneumoconiosis underscores the importance of occupational dust exposure reduction, early case detection, and continued surveillance to monitor trends.

Mortality Among Persons with Both Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Aged ≥25 Years, by Industry and Occupation - United States, 1999-2016.

Patients with asthma typically have chronic airway inflammation, variable airflow limitation, and intermittent respiratory symptoms; patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have fixed airflow limitation and persistent respiratory symptoms. Some patients exhibit features suggesting that they have both conditions, which is termed asthma-COPD overlap. These patients have been reported to have worse health outcomes than do those with asthma or COPD alone (1). To describe mortality among persons aged ≥25 years with asthma-COPD overlap, CDC analyzed 1999-2016 National Vital Statistics multiple-cause-of-death mortality data* extracted from the National Occupational Mortality System (NOMS), which included industry and occupation† information collected from 26 states§ for the years 1999, 2003, 2004, and 2007-2014. Age-adjusted death rates per one million persons¶ and proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs)** were calculated. During 1999-2016, 6,738 male decedents (age-adjusted rate per million = 4.30) and 12,028 female decedents (5.59) had both asthma and COPD assigned on their death certificate as the underlying or contributing cause of death. The annual age-adjusted death rate per million among decedents with asthma-COPD overlap declined from 6.70 in 1999 to 3.01 in 2016 (p<0.05) for men and from 7.71 in 1999 to 4.01 in 2016 (p<0.05) for women. Among adults aged 25-64 years, asthma-COPD overlap PMRs, by industry, were significantly elevated among nonpaid workers, nonworkers, and persons working at home for both men (1.72) and women (1.40) and among male food, beverage, and tobacco products workers (2.64). By occupation, asthma-COPD overlap PMRs were significantly elevated among both men (1.98) and women (1.79) who were unemployed, had never worked, or were disabled workers and among women bartenders (3.28) and homemakers (1.34). The association between asthma-COPD overlap mortality and nonworking status among adults aged 25-64 years suggests that asthma-COPD overlap might be associated with substantial morbidity. Increased risk for asthma-COPD overlap mortality among adults in certain industries and occupations suggests targets for public health interventions (e.g., elimination of or removal from exposures, engineering controls, and workplace smoke-free policies) to prevent asthma and COPD in and out of the workplace.

Prevalence of COPD among workers with work-related asthma.

Objective: Concurrent asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnoses occur in 15%-20% of patients, and have been associated with worse health outcomes than asthma or COPD alone. Work-related asthma (WRA), asthma that is caused or made worse by exposures in the workplace, is characterized by poorly controlled asthma. The objective of this study was to assess the proportion of ever-employed adults (≥18 years) with current asthma who have been diagnosed with COPD, by WRA status.Methods: Data from 23 137 respondents to the 2012-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey from 31 states and the District of Columbia were examined. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs), examining six disjoint categories of WRA-COPD overlap with non-WRA/no COPD as the referent category.Results: An estimated 51.9% of adults with WRA and 25.6% of adults with non-WRA had ever been diagnosed with COPD. Adults with WRA/COPD were more likely than those with non-WRA/no COPD to have an asthma attack (PR = 1.77), urgent treatment for worsening asthma (PR = 2.85), an asthma-related emergency room visit (PR = 4.21), overnight stay in a hospital because of asthma (PR = 6.57), an activity limitation on 1-13 days (PR = 2.01) or ≥14 days (PR = 5.02), and very poorly controlled asthma (PR = 3.22).Conclusions: COPD was more frequently diagnosed among adults with WRA than those with non-WRA, and adults diagnosed with both WRA and COPD appear to have more severe adverse asthma outcomes than those with non-WRA and no COPD.

Asthma self-management education in persons with work-related asthma - United States, 2012-2014.

Objective: According to the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP), self-management education is an integral component of effective asthma care and should be offered to every patient with asthma. To estimate the proportion of persons with work-related asthma (WRA) who received asthma self-management education.Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 2012-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey data was conducted among ever-employed adults (≥18 years) with current asthma from 31 states and the District of Columbia.Results: Adults with WRA were significantly more likely than those with non-WRA to have ever taken a course to manage their asthma (15.7% versus 6.5%; PR = 2.1), been given an asthma action plan (43.5% versus 26.1%; PR = 1.7), shown how to use an inhaler (97.2% versus 95.8%; PR = 1.0), taught how to recognize early symptoms of an asthma episode (79.4% versus 64.1%; PR = 1.2), taught what to do during an asthma episode (86.4% versus 76.3%; PR = 1.1), taught how to use a peak flow meter to adjust daily medications (57.9% versus 41.7%; PR = 1.3), and advised to change things in home, school, or work (56.9% versus 30.4%; PR = 2.0). Moreover, targets for corresponding Healthy People 2020 respiratory disease objectives were met only among adults with WRA.Conclusions: Although adults with WRA were more likely to have received asthma self-management education, results suggest missed opportunities to provide asthma self-management education. Every healthcare visit should be used as an opportunity to discuss asthma self-management.

Primary care clinician adherence with asthma guidelines: the National Asthma Survey of Physicians.

Background and objectives: Although primary care clinicians provide >60% of U.S. asthma care, no nationally representative study has examined variation in adherence among primary care groups to four cornerstone domains of the Expert Panel Report-3 asthma guidelines: assessment/monitoring, patient education, environmental assessment, and medications. We used the 2012 National Asthma Survey of Physicians: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to compare adherence by family/general medicine practitioners (FM/GM), internists, pediatricians and Community Health Center mid-level clinicians (CHC). Methods: Adherence was self-reported (n = 1355 clinicians). Adjusted odds of almost always adhering to each recommendation (≥75% of the time) were estimated controlling for clinician/practice characteristics, and agreement and self-efficacy with guideline recommendations. Results: A higher percentage of pediatricians adhered to most assessment/monitoring recommendations compared to FM/GM and other groups (e.g. 71.6% [SE 4.0] almost always assessed daytime symptoms versus 50.6% [SE 5.1]-51.1% [SE 5.8], t-test p < 0.05) but low percentages from all groups almost always performed spirometry (6.8% [SE 2.0]-16.8% [SE 4.7]). Pediatricians were more likely to provide asthma action/treatment plans than FM/GM and internists. Internists were more likely to assess school/work triggers than pediatricians and CHC (environmental assessment). All groups prescribed inhaled corticosteroids for daily control (84.0% [SE 3.7]-90.7% [SE 2.5]) (medications). In adjusted analyses, pediatric specialty, high self-efficacy and frequent specialist referral were associated with high adherence. Conclusions: Pediatricians were more likely to report high adherence than other clinicians. Self- efficacy and frequent referral were also associated with adherence. Adherence was higher for history-taking recommendations and lower for recommendations involving patient education, equipment and expertise.

Workshop summary: Potential usefulness and feasibility of a US National Mesothelioma Registry.

The burden and prognosis of malignant mesothelioma in the United States have remained largely unchanged for decades, with approximately 3200 new cases and 2400 deaths reported annually. To address care and research gaps contributing to poor outcomes, in March of 2019 the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation convened a workshop on the potential usefulness and feasibility of a national mesothelioma registry. The workshop included formal presentations by subject matter experts and a moderated group discussion. Workshop participants identified top priorities for a registry to be (a) connecting patients with high-quality care and clinical trials soon after diagnosis, and (b) making useful data and biospecimens available to researchers in a timely manner. Existing databases that capture mesothelioma cases are limited by factors such as delays in reporting, deidentification, and lack of exposure information critical to understanding as yet unrecognized causes of disease. National disease registries for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the United States and for mesothelioma in other countries, provide examples of how a registry could be structured to meet the needs of patients and the scientific community. Small-scale pilot initiatives should be undertaken to validate methods for rapid case identification, develop procedures to facilitate patient access to guidelines-based standard care and investigational therapies, and explore approaches to data sharing with researchers. Ultimately, federal coordination and funding will be critical to the success of a National Mesothelioma Registry in improving mesothelioma outcomes and preventing future cases of this devastating disease.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Prevalence Among Adults Who Have Never Smoked, by Industry and Occupation - United States, 2013-2017.

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a debilitating respiratory condition with high mortality and morbidity (1,2). However, an estimated 24% of adults with COPD have never smoked (3,4). Among these persons, 26%-53% of COPD can be attributed to workplace exposures, including dust, fumes, gases, vapors, and secondhand smoke exposure (4-6). To assess industry-specific and occupation-specific COPD prevalence among adults aged ≥18 years who have never smoked and who were employed any time during the past 12 months, CDC analyzed 2013-2017 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Among an estimated 106 million workers who had never smoked, 2.2% (2.4 million) have COPD. Highest prevalences were among workers aged ≥65 years (4.6%), women (3.0%), and those reporting fair/poor health (6.7%). Among industries and occupations, the highest COPD prevalences were among workers in the information industry (3.3%) and office and administrative support occupations (3.3%). Among women, the highest prevalences were among those employed in the information industry (5.1%) and in the transportation and material moving occupation (4.5%), and among men, among those employed in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry (2.3%) and the administrative and support, waste management, and remediation services industry (2.3%). High COPD prevalences in certain industries and occupations among persons who have never smoked underscore the importance of continued surveillance, early identification of COPD, and reduction or elimination of COPD-associated risk factors, such as the reduction of workplace exposures to dust, vapors, fumes, chemicals, and exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants.

Silicosis prevalence and incidence among Medicare beneficiaries.

INTRODUCTION: Existing epidemiologic information on silicosis relies on mortality data. METHODS: We analyzed health insurance claims and enrollment information from 49 923 987 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 from 1999 to 2014. Three different definitions were developed to identify silicosis cases and results are presented as ranges of values for the three definitions. RESULTS: Among FFS beneficiaries, 10 026-19 696 fit the silicosis case definitions (16-year prevalence: 20.1-39.5 per 100 000) with the highest prevalence among North American Natives (87.2-213.6 per 100 000) and those in New Mexico (83.9-203.4 per 100 000). The annual average prevalence had a significant (P < 0.05) 2-5% annual decline from 2005 to 2014. The average annual number of incident cases had a significant 3-16% annual decline from 2007 to 2014. CONCLUSIONS: Silicosis is a prevalent disease among Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65, with variation across the country. Morbidity data from health insurance claims can provide a more complete picture of silicosis burden.

Prevalence of Asthma, Asthma Attacks, and Emergency Department Visits for Asthma Among Working Adults - National Health Interview Survey, 2011-2016.

In 2010, an estimated 8.2% of U.S. adults had current asthma, and among these persons, 49.1% had had an asthma attack during the past year (1). Workplace exposures can cause asthma in a previously healthy worker or can trigger asthma exacerbations in workers with current asthma* (2). To assess the industry- and occupation-specific prevalence of current asthma, asthma attacks, and asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits among working adults, CDC analyzed 2011-2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for participants aged ≥18 years who, at the time of the survey, were employed at some time during the 12 months preceding the interview. During 2011-2016, 6.8% of adults (11 million) employed at any time in the past 12 months had current asthma; among those, 44.7% experienced an asthma attack, and 9.9% had an asthma-related ED visit in the previous year. Current asthma prevalence was highest among workers in the health care and social assistance industry (8.8%) and in health care support occupations (8.8%). The increased prevalence of current asthma, asthma attacks, and asthma-related ED visits in certain industries and occupations might indicate increased risks for these health outcomes associated with workplace exposures. These findings might assist health care and public health professionals in identifying workers in industries and occupations with a high prevalence of current asthma, asthma attacks, and asthma-related ED visits who should be evaluated for possible work-related asthma. Guidelines intended to promote effective management of work-related asthma are available (2,3).

Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis-Attributable Years of Potential Life Lost to Life Expectancy and Potential Life Lost Before Age 65 Years - United States, 1999-2016.

Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a preventable occupational lung disease caused by inhaling coal mine dust that can lead to premature* death (1,2). To assess trends in premature mortality attributed to CWP (3), CDC analyzed underlying† causes of death data from 1999 to 2016, the most recent years for which complete data are available. Years of potential life lost to life expectancy (YPLL) and years of potential life lost before age 65 years (YPLL65)§ were calculated (4). During 1999-2016, a total of 38,358 YPLL (mean per decedent = 8.8 years) and 2,707 YPLL65 (mean per decedent = 7.3 years) were attributed to CWP. The CWP-attributable YPLL decreased from 3,300 in 1999 to 1,813 in 2007 (p<0.05). No significant change in YPLL occurred after 2007. During 1996-2016, however, the mean YPLL per decedent significantly increased from 8.1 to 12.6 per decedent (p<0.001). Overall, CWP-attributable YPLL65 did not change. The mean YPLL65 per decedent decreased from 6.5 in 1999 to 4.3 in 2002 (p<0.05), sharply increased to 8.9 in 2005, and then gradually decreased to 6.5 in 2016 (p<0.001). Increases in YPLL per decedent during 1999-2016 indicate that over time decedents aged ≥25 years with CWP lost more years of life relative to their life expectancies, suggesting increased CWP severity and rapid disease progression. This finding underscores the need for strengthening proven prevention measures to prevent premature CWP-associated mortality.